A Marauder Story
by Witch of the West
Summary: UPDATED: The Marauders have always been good friends, but when Sirius gets too protective Arabella tries to talk to him. Will this only bring them closer together or drift them apart?
1. The Last Year

A seventeen-year-old girl with red hair and bright green eyes stepped out of a car at King's Cross Station at 10:25 in the morning. She found a cart as her father opened the car's trunk to get her things. She kissed her father good-bye then entered the train station. The first person she saw was one of her best friends: Sirius Black. Standing next to him were James Potter and Remus Lupin. Lily thought about turning around and making a dash for it as she saw the three boys rushing toward her; but she embraced the group hug. As they pulled away she got a good look at them.  
  
Sirius was a little over six feet, but just shy of 6'1" (which was what he claimed to be). His black hair was neatly cut and his deep brown eyes were dancing with mischief. Today he was wearing khaki pants with a green sweater; his fan club had yet to arrive.  
  
The only person with a fan club to rival Sirius' was James, Sirius' bestest of best friends. James was a little shorter than Sirius but didn't act like it. James' black hair was in its usual messy state, falling over his brilliant blue eyes. James' dress was like Sirius' only his sweater was red. And he too, was saved from his fan club, for now.  
  
Remus Lupin, however, had no fan club, but that didn't disappoint him. At the same height as James he could get any girl. With light brown hair and gray eyes, that secured his chance. Wearing khaki pants and a blue sweater, he, James and Sirius could have belonged to a music group. They didn't sing but they did belong to a group: the Marauders.  
  
Just then another friend practically tackled Sirius, in his opinion. In fact, Arabella Figg had only jumped on his back. Her bright blue eyes were sparkling with amusement. Her chocolate brown hair was pulled back into a messy bun. Sirius was now holding her on his back. Then, without warning, he started spinning around really fast, causing the person clinging to him to scream then laugh. Sirius finally put her down. She was a good ten inches shorter than him, making her the shortest Marauder. You'd never know it just by looking at her but Arabella was easily the feisty one of the group. Mess with her and you'd have to mess with James, Remus and especially Sirius before they'd let Lily and Arabella go after you; and no one wanted to face the girls when they were mad.  
  
The five Marauders headed toward the barrier and to their last year at Hogwarts. Lily and James passed through first. Then Sirius, Arabella and Remus followed. They all met on the other side: at Platform 9 ¾. As they rushed to the train to find an empty compartment they ran into their two least favorite people: Severus Snape and Lucius Malfoy. The girls tried to leave by Snape and Malfoy stopped them. Lily and Arabella gave them looks of utmost disgust. Their friends' faces were similar. The Marauders turned to leave but Lucius goosed Arabella. Before he knew it he was lying on the ground nursing his jaw. His victim was standing over him fixed with a murderous glare. Sirius was trying to hold Arabella back as much as she was trying to hold him back. Sirius eventually ushered Arabella towards the train. It was only when Snape suggested that he and Arabella do something, that Sirius ran back and started a new fight.  
  
Remus kept the girls back as James went to break up the fight. After he succeeded, James led his friends to an empty compartment. They sat down and tried to cool off.  
  
"I hate those too," Sirius yelled. There was a cut above his eye that Arabella was trying to get to stop bleeding. He flinched. "Bella, ouch, that hurts."  
  
"If you want to have blood in your eye, that's fine by me; but if not, deal with it." Sirius immediately shut up and let her continue. To anyone who didn't know them, they would've thought Sirius and Arabella were boyfriend and girlfriend. However, they were far from it; they were the best of friends, almost like family. Their friends saw how close they were to each other. The sexual tension could be cut with a knife. But the two in the midst of the tension could feel nothing.  
  
"Ten Galleons says Lily's Head Girl," Sirius said.  
  
"Fifteen says James is Head Boy," Arabella said. "They know by now, it's just a secret until they decide to tells us."  
  
"You'll find out at the feast," James said. The rest of the train ride was uneventful compared to the beginning of the trip. The train stopped in Hogsmeade as usual. As always, the Marauders had already changed into their robes. They made their way to the horseless carriages and got one for themselves. Their last trek up to the castle to their last welcoming feast was coming up. Everyone went up just like every other year. Sirius and Arabella skipped towards the steps, like in "The Wizard of Oz" as James, Lily and Remus watched from a safe distance behind them. The skipping up to the castle always ended in a laughing Sirius/Arabella clump at the bottom of the stairs; that day was no exception. James, Remus and Lily passed Sirius and Arabella, who were still trying to get untangled (their constant laughing wasn't helping any).  
  
"Mr. Black! Miss Figg!" someone with authority yelled. Sirius and Arabella stopped laughing at once. It didn't help that they recognized the voice as Professor Orwell's, their current Potions teacher.  
  
"Yes?" Arabella asked innocently, knowing full well Sirius couldn't.  
  
"Bring yourself and Mr. Black up here right now!" he yelled.  
  
"Coming Professor!" Arabella yelled back. She and Sirius stoop and walked up the stairs to the castle. There they met a very unhappy Professor Orwell. They followed him silently to the dungeons. They entered his office and sat in two chairs facing his desk. Professor Orwell turned to face them.  
  
"As I understand it a scuffle broke out on Platform 9 ¾ at King's Cross Station this morning. As for who started it I don't know. But I do know who was involved. Now I want to know who began it."  
  
"I did," Sirius started.  
  
"No, it was me. I threw the first punch. I started the fight," Arabella cut in. "I did it."  
  
"Miss Figg, I am ashamed. I expected better of you. No points will be taken from Gryffindor but you will serve a detention with me, now."  
  
"Now? But the feast, she'll miss it," Sirius protested.  
  
"Mr. Black you may go to the feast. Now." Arabella sent an assuring look towards Sirius. They were talking in a code they had perfected since they were eleven. Sirius left when he was sure she would be okay. As he left he sent Professor Orwell a look of distrust.  
  
"Now Miss Figg, let's begin your detention." Arabella didn't like the look Professor Orwell was giving her and curled up in her chair.  
  
~*~*  
  
"I don't like him at all," Sirius told James as they were walking toward the Gryffindor tower after the feast. Lily and James had been named Head Girl and Boy. Sirius and Arabella had been named 7th year prefects for Gryffindor.  
  
"Who?" James asked.  
  
"Professor Orwell. He's going to do something to Bella. I can feel it." Just then someone ran into Sirius. "Hey!" The person turned and Sirius swore under his breath. Arabella looked at Sirius with tears in her eyes. Sirius ran to her and held her with James by his side. Arabella sobbed into Sirius' chest. As she did, her story came out.  
  
"I'm going to kill him!" Sirius yelled.  
  
"Go to Dumbledore," James said. "He can't do that to you and get away with it."  
  
~*~*  
  
"Professor McGonagall, we need to see Professor Dumbledore," James told her when she stopped them for being out at night.  
  
"Why?" she asked.  
  
"Because we need to see him."  
  
"James, if you don't give me a valid answer I will not let you see the Headmaster. Why do you need to see him?"  
  
"Professor Orwell tried to rape Arabella!" Sirius shouted. Professor McGonagall dropped the books she was holding.  
  
~*~* A/N: If you think I own anything but the plot and Professor Orwell, you are very stupid. That is JKR's. But don't let that discourage you from reviewing. Trust me you want to. Because without 15 reviews, my brain doesn't work very well and that causes updating to take a very long time. If you review you can check out some of my other stories (like "Paper and Roses" and "Courage: the sequel to Paper and Roses"). Reviewing is very good because we all want to know what happens, and this story is juicy (trust me I wrote it). Thanks for reading. 


	2. Withstanding Love

"What? Let's go to Professor Dumbledore." She picked up her books and led James, Sirius and Arabella to Professor Dumbledore's office. When they got in Dumbledore had Arabella sit while everyone else stood.  
  
"Sirius has just informed me that Professor Orwell tried to rape Arabella," Professor McGonagall explained. Professor Dumbledore lost the twinkle in his eyes.  
  
"Please explain Miss Figg," he said.  
  
"He took me and Sirius to his office because he heard about a little fight that Sirius and I had between Snape and Malfoy. So he asked us who started it and I said I did. Then he told me no points would be lost and all I'd get was a detention with him right then. He sent Sirius back to the feast but Sirius didn't want to go.  
  
"He was giving me this look. He pulled me out of the chair and pressed me against him. Then he kissed me hard as he backed me toward his desk. He started to take off my robes and began to feel me up. When he started to take off his robes I kneed him in the stomach and ran for it. I ran in to Sirius and James and told them what happened." Arabella finished with no tears streaming down her face. Sirius was furious; James, however, was marveling at how Arabella got through the story.  
  
"Minerva, please go find Professor Orwell and bring him up here." McGonagall followed Dumbledore's order. "Miss Figg I understand if you do not want to be in here with Professor Orwell. I'm asking you if you'd rather be outside my office while I discuss this situation with Professor Orwell, or do you want to stay?" Arabella stared at the ground as she thought about it.  
  
"I'll stay only if Sirius and James stay," she said.  
  
"Alright." McGonagall was back with Orwell. Orwell was coming up to Dumbledore to complain that a student had attacked him. Professor Dumbledore told Orwell that he was fired and that he was never welcome on the Hogwarts school grounds again. With that Orwell left the office and the school.  
  
"Miss Figg, I'm terribly sorry about all this. If you don't need my guidance I suggest you try to sleep. Mr. Black, Mr. Potter, please accompany her while I speak to Professor McGonagall."  
  
"Of course, Professor," James said. Sirius took Arabella with himself and James. They made their way to the Gryffindor tower to see their waiting friends.  
  
When they entered the common room, Lily rushed over to Bella and hugged her. Remus walked over to James and Sirius. Lily and Arabella went over to a couch as the boys sat at a table. Sirius told Remus the story and in the end Remus was just as mad as James. No one could be as mad as Sirius. They heard Lily gasp and saw Arabella nod, meaning that now all the Marauders knew the situation.  
  
"Who's going to teach Potions now?" Remus asked.  
  
"My guess is Dumbledore until they find someone else," James said.  
  
"Hopefully, for Bella's sake, they cancel Potions," Sirius said. If the situation wasn't so bad, James and Remus would have laughed. The boys stood up as Lily and Arabella approached.  
  
"We're going to bed," Lily said. Her face was a mixture of worry and resolve. James hugged her as Sirius talked to Arabella.  
  
"Are you okay?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Physically? Yes. Mentally? No. I'll sleep if off, maybe. I'll be fine soon," Arabella replied. Sirius hugged her for a long time.  
  
"I love you," he told her.  
  
"I love you too," she responded, never missing a beat. Their friends saw how much love there was between the two. Remus, James and Lily always thought they were made for each other. They had a running bet on the two.  
  
"Good night," Sirius told Arabella before she hugged Remus, then James.  
  
"Good night." With that Lily and Arabella went up to bed.  
  
At 3 am Sirius went downstairs to find Arabella sitting on the couch, staring at the embers left over from the fire.  
  
"Bella?" Sirius asked. Arabella gasped and turned around to see Sirius looking at her, full of sorrow and worry. Sirius walked over to the couch and held her.  
  
"Sirius, I can't sleep."  
  
"I figured. Bella, I'm so sorry."  
  
"It's not your fault."  
  
"If I had stayed ."  
  
"He still would've kicked you out or distracted you. Sirius, please, it's not your fault." Arabella had Sirius' face in her hands. She dropped her hands when she realized what she was doing. Staring into each other's eyes, they started talking in code again. After a few moments, Sirius leaned forward and sweetly kissed Arabella on her nose. Arabella rested her head on Sirius' chest and fell asleep. Sirius breathed a sigh of relief when he saw Arabella was sleeping. 


	3. Distractions

Throughout the next week Arabella's friends distracted her. One day that week James came up with the best thing to distract her: Quidditch practice. Arabella was a Chaser for the Gryffindor team. She, James and Sirius headed down to the pitch one morning to have a little practice. Since they had two Chasers (James and Arabella) and one beater (Sirius), they could have a decent practice.  
  
Playing Quidditch distracted Arabella and it showed. She was on during practice, practically killing James as Chaser. She made him seem like a first year that just picked up the Quaffle.  
  
"We better beat Slytherin next Saturday," Sirius said as he flew by James.  
  
"I think we will if Arabella keeps playing like this," James responded as he, Sirius and Arabella landed. "Nice work Bella."  
  
"Thanks." Arabella's hair was falling out of her braid and into her face. She pushed it behind her ear as she spoke. Her eyes were bright with excitement.  
  
"Keep that up and we'll beat Slytherin for sure," Sirius said, putting his arm around Arabella's shoulders. The three walked up to the castle and into the Great Hall for breakfast. They still had their practice Quidditch robes on.  
  
They entered the hall and found seats next to Lily and Remus. Many girls were staring at the messy-looking Sirius and the sweaty James. However the boys were looking at the ruffled, flushed and sweating Arabella.  
  
"You've got a fan club Bella," James said. Sirius looked around and shot glares at all the staring boys.  
  
"I don't need a fan club," Bella said. "I have enough on my mind."  
  
"They don't want to be on your mind," James said. Sirius smacked him across the back of his head. Arabella laughed at Sirius' reaction.  
  
"Sirius, it's okay. They won't be anywhere but far away from me. Well, except for a select few. Right Lily?"  
  
"Right. Now, who would those lucky few be?" Arabella and Lily looked around the Great Hall.  
  
"Fletcher?" Arabella asked. Lily shook her head.  
  
"Avery?" Lily asked.  
  
"Could be," Arabella responded. Sirius stared at her open-mouthed. "Come on Sirius. We're going to talk," she said, getting up. Sirius got up too and followed her out of the Great Hall. 


	4. The Marauders and Hogsmeade

They didn't stop until they reached the lake outside.  
  
"What's wrong?" Arabella asked Sirius.  
  
"What do you mean?" he asked.  
  
"Why are you acting that way?"  
  
"I don't know. I just don't know."  
  
"You've been acting very oddly lately. What is it? Sirius, you can tell me."  
  
"That's just it, I can't."  
  
"Why not?"  
  
"You won't understand."  
  
"You never know, I just might." Up until this point Arabella and Sirius were facing off with about ten feet between them. Now there were only inches between the two.  
  
"I just can't," Sirius said. Arabella turned and left him. She stormed up the stairs and into the Great Hall. The guys who had been looking at her earlier were angry with the one who had pissed her off. One in particular left the hall to find him. He found Sirius still at the lake, throwing rocks into it.  
  
"Black! What is your problem?" the person asked.  
  
"Why do you care Avery?" Sirius asked.  
  
"Oh, I don't know. Your girlfriend just stormed back up to the castle looking very angry."  
  
"I don't have a girlfriend."  
  
"What? Arabella Figg's not your girlfriend? I always thought she was. The way you two act around each other doesn't help your case." Steven Avery was Justin Avery's twin brother. He and Sirius had always had a brotherly type bond. The only thing that kept Steven from being a Marauder was his being in Ravenclaw. Justin was in Slytherin. Steven knew just what buttons to push to get Sirius to admit something. So far, he was succeeding.  
  
"We don't act like boyfriend and girlfriend," Sirius protested.  
  
"People are waiting for the announcement of the engagement Sirius," Steven said.  
  
"Really?" Steven nodded. He then sat next to Sirius and began throwing rocks into the lake also.  
  
"People are talking. Ever thought about why no one's asked her out?"  
  
"Because no one likes her?"  
  
"No, because on one wants to mess with her boyfriend Sirius Black. That's a direct quote I got from someone. That's what people think."  
  
"So now people are going to ask her out?"  
  
"Not unless you ask her first."  
  
"She doesn't want that Steven."  
  
"Doesn't hurt to ask."  
  
"I guess you're right."  
  
"The Halloween Ball is coming up. Ask her to go with you."  
  
"I'll think about it. Coming to the Quidditch match? Gryffindor versus Slytherin."  
  
"Of course. Rooting for Gryffindor all the way. Just don't tell my brother, he's on the Slytherin team."  
  
"I won't. Hogsmeade weekend, that's today right?"  
  
"Yeah. Today is Saturday. Are you going to go?"  
  
"Probably."  
  
"I think your friends are waiting for you in the Great Hall."  
  
"Thanks Steven."  
  
"You're welcome." Sirius stood up when Steven did. They shook hands then headed up to the castle while laughing and joking. Sirius entered the Great Hall with Steven behind him. He stopped when he saw Arabella looking at him. When she smiled at him, he let out a sigh and walked over to their part of the table. He sat down next to Arabella and some member of his fan club. He only paid attention to Arabella.  
  
"Welcome back," she said to him.  
  
"Thanks," he said. The five Marauders kept talking about a new prank and the upcoming Quidditch match until it was time to go to Hogsmeade. When it was announced the Marauders stood up and joined the line going to Hogsmeade. There were many excited third year and the fourth years impressed them. As the students got older they learned to appreciate the visits to Hogsmeade. Not only did they get to visit an old village but also they got away from teachers, Filch and homework. Those who had a lot of homework brought it to the village and worked on it in the Three Broomsticks. There they could occasionally get help from fellow visitors, residents or Madam Rosmerta. The boys usually went to Madam Rosmerta first while the girls went to the older locals. The Marauders talked to locals for fun and knew most of them. Madam Rosmerta let Lily and Arabella serve drinks from behind the bar often as she talked with James, Remus and Sirius. The younger students knew who all the Marauders were and made it a must to be in the Three Broomsticks whenever they were in there. There was much discussion between the younger students on who would provide entertainment during Hogsmeade weekends, and during school. Everyone came to the same conclusion: life at Hogwarts would be pretty dull without the Marauders.  
  
Not only were the Marauders known for their tricks, they were known for being the top five students in the school. Lily and Arabella tutored younger students all the time. James, Sirius and Remus did too, but seldom as much as the girls. They excelled in all of their classes, most of them being advanced courses. The teachers loved them, despite their troublemaking. Each had their favorite subject (Lily: Charms, James: Transfiguration, Sirius: Astronomy, Remus: Care of Magical Creatures, Arabella: Defense Against the Dark Arts), for in those classes, they were the best. Their favorite part of being at Hogwarts was Hogsmeade. Arabella's older sister, as well as Remus' aunt lived there. When the Marauders entered Hogsmeade they went to Arabella's sister's house. Arabella knocked on the door before entering.  
  
"Elizabeth! It's me, Arabella! Elizabeth?" Arabella was looking around frantically. It was unusual for Elizabeth to not come bounding into the room upon hearing her sister's voice. Arabella went further into the house. She went into Elizabeth's bedroom and gasped.  
  
"Oh my God! No! Remus!" 


End file.
